Page 4 of Fear

"Trouble’s already here," Alaska replied. "And you’re family. Family doesn’t turn its back.” Taking in a shaky breath I hear Alaska ask, “what is the name of the motorcycle club that you are running from?”

“They are called the Shadow Riders,” I respond looking over my shoulder to make sure no one is lurking in the darkness.

“Hold tight. We’re coming for you." Alaska states, bringing me a semblance of peace.

For the first time in days, Sofia felt the faintest flicker of hope. She wasn’t alone. Not yet.

She just had to survive long enough to make it to safety.

Her stomach twisted in painful hunger, and her throat was raw with thirst. She hadn’t eaten in nearly two days, and the small bottle of water she had stolen from a convenience store the day before had run dry long ago. The thought of stepping outside, of searching for something to keep her going, gnawed at her mind. But the fear of being seen, of being caught, outweighed everything else. Grant’s men were out there. She knew it. They could be watching, waiting for her to slip up.

She ran a tongue over her cracked lips, wincing at how dry they felt. She had never known thirst like this before. If she left, she might not make it back before Alaska’s people arrived. But if she stayed, she feared her body might betray her. The desperation was overwhelming. Her limbs felt weak, her thoughts sluggish. How long before her body simply shut down?

Minutes stretched into hours. Every creak in the building sent her heart racing. She stayed huddled against the wall, her fingers twitching with nervous energy, resisting the instinct to move. Just as she was about to finally cave and risk stepping outside, she heard it.

Footsteps.

Her pulse spiked, fear clutching her throat. She pressed herself against the wall, eyes wide as she stared toward the entrance.The sound was steady, deliberate, coming closer. Her breath came in short, panicked gasps. This was it. They had found her.

Shadows moved in the dim hallway outside, and then—two massive figures stepped into view.

Sofia’s entire body locked in terror. They were huge, both of them clad in dark leather, their movements controlled and purposeful. The dim light reflected off their hard expressions, unreadable and deadly. Her vision blurred with panic as she scrambled back, her fingers digging into the wooden floor, searching for anything she could use to defend herself.

One of the men stepped forward, his voice low and calm. "Sofia?"

She didn’t answer, her chest heaving with uneven breaths, too paralyzed to speak. The man lifted his hands slightly, palms facing her in a clear gesture of peace. "Name’s Dash. Alaska sent us. We’re here to help."

Her breath hitched, her mind struggling to catch up with his words. Dash. Alaska had mentioned him. He was one of the men from the Wolverine MC. The other man beside him, just as large, had sharp eyes that assessed her without a hint of malice. He crossed his arms, giving her space, his stance non-threatening but still imposing.

Dash crouched slightly, keeping his movements slow. "We know you’re scared. You’ve got every reason to be. But we’re here to get you out of this. You can trust us."

Sofia swallowed hard, her body still trembling with adrenaline. She wanted to believe him, but the past days of running, of being hunted, made it impossible to trust so easily. She searched their faces, looking for any sign of deceit, but all she saw was patience and quiet strength.

"Alaska… she sent you?" she finally managed; her voice hoarse.

Dash nodded. "Yeah. She’s worried sick about you. She wouldn’t send anyone she didn’t trust. We’re getting you out of here, but we need to move now."

She hesitated, still torn between the survival instincts that told her to run and the flicker of hope that told her to believe them. But when Dash extended a hand toward her, waiting—not forcing, not demanding—she let out a shaky breath and placed her trembling fingers in his.

The other man, who had remained silent, finally spoke. "Name’s Hunter. I’ll be watching our backs. Let’s get you home."

They led her carefully, making sure she didn’t trip or stumble in her exhaustion. They didn’t rush her, even though she could tell they wanted to. The way they moved, the way they constantly scanned their surroundings, told her they were prepared for a fight if needed.

When they reached the alley where their Harleys were parked, Dash handed her a helmet. "You’re riding with me. Hold on tight, yeah? We’ll get you out of here safe."

She nodded, her fingers clutching the helmet as she took one last glance at the dark, crumbling apartment she had been hiding in. Then, without looking back, she climbed onto the bike, holding onto Dash as the roar of the engine swallowed the silence of the night.

For the first time in what felt like forever, she felt like she might actually make it out of this alive.

Sofia and Alaska had met years ago, both scraping their way through a world that had never been kind to them. They had bonded over shared struggles, finding solace in each other when life had thrown them to the wolves. Alaska had grown uptough, surviving things that would have broken most people, but instead of becoming bitter, she had become a protector—strong, fierce, and loyal to the few she called family. Sofia had always admired that about her. When the world had given them nothing, they had given each other everything.

They had met in a shelter when they were both barely out of their teens, running from different kinds of monsters. Alaska had been escaping an abusive past, and Sofia had been running from a home that never felt safe. They had looked out for each other, refusing to let the darkness swallow them whole. When Alaska had found her way to the Wolverine MC, Sofia had encouraged her, even though it meant they had to part ways. But their bond had never weakened. Distance had meant nothing when they had been through hell together.

Sofia knew she could trust Alaska with her life. She had seen Alaska take on men twice her size, had watched her stand her ground when others would have fled. Alaska had been her rock, the one person who had never abandoned her. And now, when Sofia had nowhere else to turn, she knew with certainty that Alaska would move heaven and earth to keep her safe.

Chapter 3

The ride to the Wolverine MC felt like a fever dream. The rhythmic roar of the Harley beneath her, the wind whipping against her skin, the steady warmth of Dash in front of her—it was all too much. Her body was exhausted, her mind even more so, but she forced herself to stay alert. Trust was a foreign concept, and though Alaska had assured her these men were safe, her body refused to believe it.

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